Child&#39;s vehicle



HTI 34 July 2l, 1925.

. 1,546,783 o. F. HlRscH CHILDS VEHICLE Filed Deo. 29, 192

5 2 Sheets-Sheet l O. F. HIRSCH CHILD's YVEHICLE Filed Dec. 29, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 2l, 1925. 1,546,783-

Patented July 21, 1925.

UNITED STATES OTTO F. HIRSCI-I, OF WEST MILTON, OHIO.

cninns VEHICLE.

Application filed December` 29, 1923. Serial No. 683,389.

To all whom zit may conc-cwi.:

.Be it known thatI, OTTO F. I-ImsoH, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVest Milton, in the county `of Miami and Sta-te of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in a Cliilds Vehicle, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to wheeled toys.

It is the general object of my invention to provide a manually propelled Wheeled toy, in the nature of a horse or other animal, the body and other members of which may be given movement to make it appear asthough running or galloping, at the same time thatl the device is being p-ropelled. This general object is carried into effect by pivotally mounting the animalV and various parts thereof on a rigid Wheel carrying frame..

It is a further object of the invention to provide means for supporting the feet of the operator which will enable him to always maintain his feet in parallel relation with the body of the toy and also enable him to brace himself while propelling the toy, the propulsion being accomplished by the hands and upper part of the body, which affords splendid exercise for children.

It is a further object of the invention to provide means for steering the device which will prevent the foot rests from ever coming in conta'ctlwith any part of the animal or otherwise interfering with the successful operation of the device.

It is also an object of the invention to provide means for rigidly securing one of the rear wheels to the axle to facilitate the op-V eration o-f the device.

In the accompanying drawings;

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my wheeled toy; i y

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation thereof;

Fig. 4 is a Ysectional view of the .bracket for pivotally mounting the animal on the frame structure.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing the means for adjusting the foot rest;

Fig. 6 is a plan of the 5th wheel arrangement with the top plate broken away to show the amount of movement given th front wheels of the toy; and

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the bracket for holding `one of the rear wheels stationary on the axle.V

In these drawings I have shown a rigid arched' structure composed of standards 1 extending from the front wheels 2 to the rear wheels 3. Any other suitable structure may be employed which will carry out the same principle. These standards may be secured to one another in any convenient manner. The wheels are pivoted on the usual axles 5 and 6 at the lower part of each end of the rigid structure. Midway of this structure I provide a casting 7 carrying a shaft 8 near its upper end which rigidly secures the side members 9 of the body of the horse or other animal together so that the main portion thereof which is pivotally mounted on said shaft will be capable of movement as a unit. At each end of the shaft 8 I provide a downwardly extending member 10 which is rigidly fastened to the side member 9, as shown at 11, and provided at its lower end with a pin 12 to which a rod 13 is connected. This rod 13 is secured at its opposite end directly to the arched portion of the rear axle 6, as `shown at 14. Means' may be provided for increasing or decreasing the rocking motion of the ani mal by lengthening or shortening the rod 14. At the front end of the rigid frame I provide means for pivotally mounting the axle and front wheels similar to the old style 5th wheel. This means consists of several plates. The top plate 15 has the lower ends of the vertical front portions on the archshaped frame structure rigidly secured thereto, as shown. The lower plate 16 has a slot 17 for the purpose hereinafter set forth. These plates are secured tothe front axle with the usual kingbolt 18 and nut 19, thereby permitting of rotary motion. To limit the arc of movement of the front wheels I provide la pin 20 which is secured in the plate'15 and extends through the slot 17 in the plate 16. The length of the slot 17 is suoli that the front wheels will be limited in their movement. This is desirable because it prevents thewheels' from turning to such an extent that they would interfere with the movements of the horse. or other animal mounted on the frame structure and also keeps the operators feet from coming in contact with the sides of the horse.

In o-rder that the toy may be properly steered I provide two uprights 21 near the llO iii

front wheels rigidly mounted on the axle 5. U-shaped members or foot rests 22 having downwardly extending portions 23 are adapted to be inserted in the uprights 21 and to be freely movable therein. Provision is made for adjusting these U-shaped members up and down accommodate the foot rests to the size of the operator. This adjustment may be accomplished in any suitable manner. In the present instance I have shown a stop block 24 adjustably mounted in the lower end of the upright member 2l. rIhis block 24 is provided with a fastening screw 25 or other suitable means passing through a slot 2G in the upright member, and having a thumb.` piece 27 which clamps the block to the upright in any desired position. Therefore it will be seen .that the foot rest may be adjusted to accommodate the toy to different size operators and by reason of the U-shaped member being swivelly mounted within the upright 2l on the front axle, the operators foot is maintained parallel to the body of the toy, making the position of the operator comfortable when the toy is being steered. To prevent the foot rest from being accidentally disengaged from the standard 2l I provide a reduced portion 28 in the stem 23 for practically its entire length which is to be engaged by a suitable pin 28a secured to the standard 21. The foot rest 22 may have a certain amount of upward movement be fore coming in contact with the stop pin.

The usual ball bearing structure is provided for the rear axle which is carried by the rigid frame. Securely fastened to the rotating axle is a clip 29 located between the hub of one of the wheels andthe outer end of the bearing to impart motion from the axle to one of the rear wheels. The other rear wheel is freely rotatable on the axle to permit the toy t-o be steered. A hand grasp 30 is provided near the head Vof the horse. In propelling the toy the operator grasps this handle and pulls upward against the pressure of his own body while seated on the animal with his feet positioned in the U-shaped members 22 whereby he is enabled to brace himself, and propel the toy.Y This means of propelling the toy affords healthy exercise for the operator, and therefore the toy 1s beneficial as well as pleasurable.

otally connected thereto, as shown at 33, the opposite end of said rod being attached to pivotally mounted ears 34, as shown at 35. rIhe rearward arm 36 of the bracket has pivotally attached thereto a rod 37, as shown at 38, the other end of said rod being secured to the pivotally mounted tail 39, as shown at 40. The downward arm 4l has pivotally attached thereto a rod 42, as shown a 42a, secure-d at its other end to the pivotally mounted hind legs 43 as shown at 43a. A bracket 44 is secured to the arched structure near its forward portion and haspivotally attached thereto a rod 45, as shown at 4G, the other end of said rod being secured to thepivotally mounted front legs 47, as shown at 48. It will be understood, of course, that other parts of the body may be likewise pivotally connected, and I do not wish to be limited to the Yconstruction herein set forth- From the foregoing description it will be understood that I have provided an iniproved toy which is capable of being propelled while imparting rocking or swinging motion to a body portion in the nature of a horse; and which affords not only pleasure but healthful exercise to children.

Having thusV fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a vehicle, the combination with a wheeled frame, of an animal ligure comprising a body portion pivotally mounted 0n said frame, saidbody portion having various pivoted members, means for connecting said pivoted members to the body pivotal means, andmeans for connecting the body of said figure with the wheels, so that when the body of the ligure is moved the vehicle is propelled and the various pivoted members are'moved relatively to said body to impart a cantering appearance to the ligure.

2. In a vehicle, the combination with a wheeled frame, of an .animal ligure pivotally mounted thereon, means connecting said ligure with the wheels, independent rotatable means adapted to be maintained parallel with said figure for steering said vehicle, and means for limiting the movement of the front wheels, so that they will not interfere with the movements of the figure.

3. In a vehicle, the combinationwith an arched frame having front and rear axles carryingwheels, means for rigidly securing` one of the wheels to the rear axle, steering means directly mounted on'the front axle, of an animal ligure comprising a body and pivoted members, means for .pivotally mounting said body on said frame, means for connecting said pivoted members to said pivotal means and means for connecting said pivotal means for said body with said rear axle so that when the vehicle is propelled 5. In a steering mechanism for a vehicle, an axle, a plate mounted thereon and having a vertical Lip-standing pin, a frame, a Second plate rigidly secured to said frame and having an aperture therein, said seo- Gnd plate being rotatably mounted with respect to said first plate, so that the aperture in said second plate will receive the pin in Said first plate and limit the movement of said second plate relatively to said first plate.

In testimony whereof, I aHiX my signature.

OTTO F. HIRSCH. 

